Delays to DCU Accommodation Due to Covid-19

Plans to build student accommodation at Dublin City University have been put on hold due to the financial impact of Covid-19.

Construction on the new accommodation was due to start this August and would have resulted in the existing Larkfield building being demolished to create 1,240 new beds.

However, a spokesperson for DCU said: "We are working towards delivering new on-campus accommodation but there is no specific date for the construction to begin."

DCU said the postponement comes due to the coronavirus pandemic and the financial strain it has placed on the college.

Commenting on the announcement, the president of the Union of Students in Ireland, Lorna Fitzpatrick, said they were "extremely disappointed" by the delays.

She added: "Accommodation like this takes some time to deliver so a long-term view needs to be taken on it in order to address the issue of the lack of affordable accommodation for students throughout the country."

She was also critical of the decision to use loan finance for the build, which was cited as one of the reasons why the project has been put on hold.